Following an exciting three-game week to open their 2024-25 regular season, Maple Leafs fans were treated to just two games last week: one mid-week against the Los Angeles Kings and an original six matchup against the New York Rangers on Saturday night. This continued Toronto’s four-game homestand through the weekend before they close it out tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
It was unlike the Maple Leafs to get shutout in a game, especially against the Montreal Canadiens in the season opener, but consecutive 4-2 wins over Metropolitan teams set Toronto up for success with two home games on their schedule last week.
On Wednesday night, an impressive showing against the Los Angeles Kings extended their win streak to three games following a 6-2 victory. However, a hard-fought 4-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Hockey Night in Canada stopped their win streak, setting up another all-important game to begin week three against a dangerous Lightning team on home ice.
3rd star: Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Week 2 stats: 2 GP – 0 G – 3 A – 3 PTS
Season stats: 5 GP – 0 G – 4 A – 4 PTS
Upon signing a four-year, $14M contract with the Maple Leafs at the start of free agency, the move received a mix of emotions from the fan base, and rightfully so. Were they going to get the Oliver Ekman-Larsson from Vancouver, who was among the worst defencemen in the NHL, or the player who just won the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers and was a key contributor in their run?
It seems Toronto has gotten the latter five games into the season, and Ekman-Larsson’s play has quickly become noticed and appreciated by the fan base. He’s no longer being tasked with being a team’s number one or two defenceman, but where he has succeeded over the past year has been in a second/third-pair role.
Through the first three games of the season, the 33-year-old registered one assist, which came in the 4-2 win over the Devils, and immediately followed that up with a three-assist showing last week, improving his season totals to four points – tied for second on the team. But it’s not just the points and the offence that have made fans appreciate the veteran blue-liner. Ekman-Larsson’s play away from the puck and physicality have been on full display alongside his partner Jake McCabe, whose pairing ranks 20th in the NHL with an xGA/60 of 2.77 (with a minimum of 55 minutes played at five-on-five), according to Moneypuck.com.
They haven’t been perfect by any means but they’ve looked pretty good together in the limited action with room for improvement.
OEL finishes that check pic.twitter.com/CHiDPaUset
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 17, 2024
2nd star: Anthony Stolarz
Week 2 stats: 2 GP – 1-1-0 – 2.03 GAA – .954 SV%
Season stats: 4 GP – 2-2-0 – 1.79 GAA – .937 SV%
After earning the first star of the week in week one of the season, Anthony Stolarz has made his way back on here, this time earning the second star of the week due to another week of impressive performances between the pipes.
Stolarz likely didn’t anticipate playing in four of the first five games, but with Joseph Woll currently sidelined with a lower-body injury, the Edison, New Jersey native has become the main guy in the net. He started both games against the Kings and Rangers, securing his second win as a Maple Leaf on Wednesday night. Although he came up short on Saturday night against the Rangers, he gave his team a chance to win the game yet again, and that’s all you can ask for.
In the two games last week, Stolarz went 1-1-0 while recording stellar numbers – 2.03 GAA (goals against average) and a .954 SV% (save percentage).
Stolarz handles the chaos in front pic.twitter.com/xw5VQuHhBs
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 17, 2024
1st star: Auston Matthews
Week 2 stats: 2 GP – 2 G – 2 A – 4 PTS
Season stats: 5 GP – 2 G – 2 A – 4 PTS
It seemed very unlike the two-time 60-goal scorer to go three games without a goal, let alone a single point. But Auston Matthews quickly reminded everyone why he is among the best of the best, scoring two goals and adding two assists for four points against the Kings and Rangers.
It wasn’t like Matthews and his line were not generating chances at five-on-five because they were. Yet a mixture of missed chances and hit posts were the main reasons why Matthews, Marner and Knies combined for just three points in the first three games of the season.
Fast forward to last week, Matthews gets off the schneid with his first goal of the season after ripping one over the shoulder of David Rittich while adding two assists en route to an easy 6-2 win over the Kings. To close out the week, the brand-new captain continued his scoring methods as he snuck one past Igor Shesterkin to get his team on the board in the third period while they were down 2-0.
AUSTON MATTHEWS 🚨
FIRST OF THE SEASON! FIRST AS CAPTAIN! pic.twitter.com/mEsfdvHgeq
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 17, 2024
Who were your three stars from week two of the NHL season? Let us know below!
